Pressure control installation and method



J1me 1950 w. MUELLER ET AL PRESSURE CONTROL INSTALLATION AND METHOD Filed Jan. 3, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl [3 E awe/M011 LLHJIEN W. MUELLER EEEIREE HHUFMANN J1me 1950 w. MUELLER ET AL 2,510,513

PRESSURE CONTROL INSTALLATION AND METHOD Filed Jan. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JUAN/FM LLIBIEN vv. MUELLER EEUREE H. HUFIV] N %M$ ?r "to T. A. Larry et a1.

Fatent'ed june 6, 1956 PRESSURE CONTROL INSTALLATION AND METHOD Lucien W. Mueller, Decatur, Ill.,' and George H. Hofmann, Houston, Tex., assignors to Mueller 00., Decatur, Ill., a-corporation of Illinois Application January 3, 1946, Serial No. 638,826

This invention relates to means and method for the'control of pressure in high pressure pipe lines in which a section of the line has to be isolated for any reason, as for repair. The object ofthe invention is to provide a system whereby the pressure can be safely held, whereby any leakage can be safely disposed of, and whereby, if desired, the isolated section can be by-passed so that the line can be kept in operation. The invention will be described with reference to embodimentsshown by way of example'in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of one embodiment;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing a modification of the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation of another embodiment, and

Figure 4 is an elevation showing a modification of the embodiment of Figure 3. r

In accordance with the invention the line on the upstream side of the section to be isolated is equipped with a number'of stopper units, the number being sufilcient so thatno leakage will occur past'the unit which is immediately adjacent'the section to be isolated, and means are provided for leading off, from between two adjacent units, any'leakage past the remote unit of the said two units. The line at the downstream side Of the section to be isolated is equipped with at least one stopper unit.

Referring to Figure 1, the line 10, here considered to be a high pressure oil line, has a section :1: to be isolated. Flow is in the direction of the arrows so that the upstream side is at the left of section Illa: and the downstream is at the right.

Reference numeral ll designates generally a pressure control unit here contemplated as being substantially like that shown in Figure 10 of Patent No. 2,171,577 granted September 5, 1939, v The unit comprises top and bottom fittings l2 and I3 welded to the pipe, the pipe being provided with top and bottom Openings in the manner described in the said patent. Bolted to the fitting i2 is a gate valve I4, this valve, as here contemplated being like that shown in Figure 2 of Patent No. 2,171,942 issued September 5, 1939, to F. H. Mueller, the said gate having a three-position stop l5. Bolted to the top of the gate I4 is a barrel l6 having a lateral opening closed by a plug [1. Rigid with the barrel I6 is a threaded neck I8 with which is engaged a handled feed nut I9. Pivoted to the nut 19 is a yoke 2|] having a portion engageable over an abutment 2| on a bar 22 2 Claims. (01. 137 7'8) danger which would otherwise arise from the whichfat its lower end carries a solid compressible plug 23;

Between unit H and section lflw a pressure control unit 24 is applied to the line, this unit being the same as unit ll except that it is equipped with a by-pass type of compressible stopper 25 of the type shown in Patent No. 2,171,- 576 granted September 5, 1939, to T. A. Larry et al. The by-pass passage is indicated at 26 and is faced toward the remote unit II.

A pressure control unit 21, exactly like unit 24, islapplied to the line at the downstream side of section 101 with the by-pass passage 28 of its compressible stopper 29 faced downstream. The

lateral barrel Openings of units 24 and 21 are opposed and are'connected by a pipe 30 which hasequalizing' and purging connections 31 and 32 with the line at the upstream and downstream sides of section lflr, respectively. Connection 3! includes upper and lower valves 33 and 34 and anintermediate T 35 normally closed by a plug 36, 'Connection 32 is equipped in the same manner.

With stopper 23 in stoppering relation to the line there may be some leakage past it due to the high pressure atthe upstream side. Any such leakage'is lead through unit 24, pipe 30 and unit 2? to the downstream side, thus eliminating any escaping oil. In the illustrated arrangement the pressure is assumed to be not so high but that a single unit II will suffice to hold it except for such slight leakage as can be readily handled by the by-pass system. Another unit, identical to unit ll, could be set in advance of the latter, if necessary.

In Figure 2 the upstream side of the line is equipped with two units 31 and 38 exactly like unit ll of Figure 1 and the unit 39 at the downstream side of the line is also of the solid stopper type. Under these circumstances a safety nipple 40 is applied to the line between units Bl and 33 and through a valve 4|, a pipe 42, which is bent behind units 38 and 39, and a valve 43 is connected to a safety nipple 44 applied to the downstream side beyond unit 39. Pipe 42 has the equalizing or purging connections 45 and 46 with the line at the upstream and downstream sides of section lflr, respectively.

In the arrangement just described any leakage past unit 31 is led by the pipe 42 to the downstream side. Under present practice the solid type of stopper is not used beyond the 8 inch size. For larger sizes, stopper-s of the type disclosed for example, in Patent No. 2,285,779 granted to F. H.

| faced upstream. The downstream side ofthe line is equipped with similar units 52 and 53 whose by-pass passages 54 and 55 are faced downstream. The barrels of units 48 and53 are connected by a by-pass pipe 56 wherelrly.servicev on the downstream side can be maintained. The

barrel of unit 49 is equipped wi-thavalved--elbow-" 57 which discharges into the atmosphere, for burning any leakage past unit 48 and unit 52 is similarly equipped with an elbow58. Wherethe downstream pressure is low enough, say 100',

pounds or less, unit 52 may be omitted. The same equalizing and purging connections as in Figure 1 are shown.

In Figure 4 the units 59to 62 are of the solid stopper type. In this case safety nipples 63" and Glare applied to the main in advance of unit 59 and-behind unit 62, respectively, and are, connected through a pipe 55' and valves 66 and 61 so that service can be maintained. Safety nipples and 69 are applied to the line between units 59, 60 and M, 52', respectively, and through valves 'Itl'and H are connected with vertical pipes 12' and13'through which leakage is carried to the atmosphere for burning. In large size mains stoppers of the type disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,285,779 may, of course, be used.

It will be understood that the described installations are given as typical and that variationsin the form and arrangement of parts, and in the number of pressure control units used; may be made without departure from the invention as defined in the claims which follow.

We claim:

1. The method of repairing ahigh pressure fluid line which comprises stoppering the line immediately adjacent to and on the downstream side of the section of pipe to be repaired by drilling an opening in and plugging the line while maintaining control against escape of fluid from the line, and similarly stoppering the line at two closely spaced points immediately adjacent to and on the upstream side of the section of pipe to be repaired, and thereafter relieving fluid under pressure ,from the line betweensaid two spaced stoppering points ;to;preventfluid which may leak pastthe'closed plug at the first of said two spaced stoppering points in the direction of fiow of the fluid from building up pressure against.thesplugaatzthe second of said two spaced stoppering points in the direction of flow of the fluid.

2. The method of; repairing a high pressure fluld line which comprises stoppering the line immediately adjacent to and on the downstream side'of the section-of "pipe to be repaired by drillinganopening in and plugging the line while maintaining control against escape of fluid from the line, and simiIarly Stoppering the line at ,two

closely. spaced p'oir-its-- immediately adjacent. to; and .on the upstream side of the section of pipe.-:

to be repaired. and thereafter discharging fluid which may leakpastthe closed plu atlthetfir st,

of said two spacedstOppering points in the di -v rection of flow of the fl'uid intojlthe. line beyond; the stoppering pointvonthe downstreamside of the section of pipe under repair, whereby to pre ventthe building up of 5 pressure in the line be tween said ;two spacedstoppering points against pering points in th'edirectionoi flow. of the. fluid.

LU EN -;M ELLER- GEORGE HOFMANN.

REFERENCES CITED he f lowin re eren es. re... o recordlimme file of this patent; 

